Story by Owen Mandovha
ZIMBABWEANS have embraced the recently introduced new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, with banks and supermarkets having fully reconfigured their online payment platforms.
A survey carried out by the ZBC News in Harare Central Business District confirmed that online banking and payment platforms are now fully functional and ZiG compliant, with supermarkets now displaying prices in the new currency.
Shoppers, including first-time ZiG users and tobacco farmers, are pleased with the use of the new currency.
A consumer said, “This is my first time to buy using ZiG and I have managed to swipe for the things I bought.”
“The ZiG currency is now working very well, and it seems that it is a better currency than the Zimbabwe dollar. We need our own currency as a nation,” added a consumer.
It also emerged supermarkets have taken heed of the 21-day grace period to accept Zimbabwe dollar notes whose circulation comes to an end on the 30th of this month.
“I brought to this supermarket ten thousand bond notes and I managed to buy what I need. The money was converted at the counter and was converted to 4 ZiG,” said a consumer.
Meanwhile, others bemoaned the threat posed by illegal money changers, while some called for the early release of the new notes.
“I implore the government to vigorously deal with illegal money changers because they manipulate the currency.”
“There is not enough information out there regarding the operability of the ZiG currency so, we need to be educated on what this new currency is all about.”
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is carrying out awareness and education campaigns nationwide to plug information and awareness gaps regarding the salient features and attributes of the new ZiG currency.
